NEW YORK (AP) - Isiah Thomas was fired as coach of the New York Knicks on Friday after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding Thomas' dismissal.

Thomas, the coach for two seasons, will remain with the organization reporting directly to new president Donnie Walsh, a rapid fall for Thomas who also was team president a little more than two weeks ago.

Walsh said he informed Thomas of the decision Friday.

"It's very difficult to be the coach and general manager," he said. "Maybe it was too much."

Walsh took over Thomas' role as team president April 2, and his first big decision was to change coaches as he begins the process of turning around a team that never won a playoff game in Thomas' tenure.

"I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh said. "This is a coveted job. People want to coach here."

The Knicks finished 23-59, matching the franchise record for losses, in their seventh straight losing season.

"I can't tell you really where we failed," Walsh said. "The bottom line is we haven't won, and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win."

Two of those 59-loss debacles came in the last three years, when the Knicks solidified themselves as the NBA's most dysfunctional franchise with poor play on the court and embarrassing behavior off it.

This season alone, Thomas was found to have s3xually harassed a former team employee, feuded with point guard Stephon Marbury and benched center Eddy Curry — the players Thomas acquired in the two biggest of a number of moves that never panned out.

Walsh wants a new coach in place by the draft in June, when the Knicks will finally have their lottery pick again after handing over their last two to Chicago in the Curry trade.

Walsh said he hasn't talked to any candidates, but mentioned former Knick and current TV analyst Mark Jackson, and a.ssistant coach Herb Williams as people who likely would be interviewed. He said he has no timetable to make his decision.

"Obviously, when you're losing, there has to be a culture change," he said. "There's no easy answer. ... We've got to work 24-7 to become competitive."

And Thomas will be a part of that.

His new role with the Knicks does not have a title. Without getting specific, Walsh said there were a.ssignments he'd feel completely comfortable giving to Thomas.

"I feel like some of the bigger events that happened on the way with Isiah overshadowed some of the good things" that he accomplished, Walsh said.

"I will be in touch with Isiah a lot," he said.

Thomas is 187-223 as an NBA coach, leading the Indiana Pacers to the playoffs in three straight years from 2000-03. Larry Bird fired him after becoming team president, a move Walsh — who had hired Thomas as coach — was originally against but eventually went along with.

Thomas was hired as the Knicks' team president on Dec. 22, 2003, and he acquired Marbury from Phoenix weeks later. The Knicks made the playoffs that season, getting swept by New Jersey, but haven't gone back despite their annual spot atop the league's highest payroll list.

Though the salary cap was already out of whack by the time Thomas arrived, he didn't help matters with some questionable moves. He gave a $30 million contract in the summer of 2005 to center Jerome James, a career 4.3 points per game scorer who hasn't been healthy or productive, and seems bothered by neither. A year later, Thomas used his mid-level exception on Jared Jeffries, who has limited offensive skills.

Still, Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan remained confident in Thomas, even making him coach in June 2006 after firing Larry Brown following one season. But that came with an ultimatum, as Dolan warned Thomas to show "evident progress" in one season or be fired from both positions.

The Knicks went 33-49 last season, but that was good enough for Dolan. He rewarded Thomas with a multiyear contract extension with more than a month left after New York moved into eighth place, but the Knicks collapsed under a series of injuries and missed the postseason.

Things went poorly this season from the time training camp opened.

The jury came back with its verdict that day, finding that Thomas and MSG s3xually harassed former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders and ordering the company to pay $11.6 million in damages. Criticized by Al Sharpton and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer for comments he made in his taped deposition, Thomas seemed downcast during most of training camp — and never had much reason for better spirits when the season began.

The Knicks started 2-1, then dropped eight in a row as the Thomas-Marbury feud sent the season spiraling out of control. Marbury responded to Thomas' plans to bench him by skipping a game in Phoenix, and the players reportedly voted to make Marbury sit out a game when he returned. Instead, Thomas played the point guard more than 33 minutes off the bench in a game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

It soon became obvious that Thomas' draft night acquisition of Zach Randolph had set back Curry, who lost his confidence and later his starting job. Speculation was rampant by Thanksgiving that Thomas' job was in jeopardy, and it only heated up after the Knicks' nationally televised 104-59 loss at Boston on Nov. 29.

Chants of "Fire Isiah!" sometimes started minutes after home games, and even Dolan's strong relationship with Thomas couldn't convince people the coach would last.

So we have:
%25.29 chance of Getting a TOP 3 PICK
%15.92 chance of Getting a TOP 2 PICK
%07.55 chance of Getting the TOP PICK

*Mark Jackson is also said to be the leading candidate for the head coaching position...and in that case it is likely that Walsh will reach out to former knick Patrick Ewing to come back home as an a.ssistant coach

thats REAL wishful thinkin considering Isiah's dumbass traded our 2nd rounder last year to Portland for the rights to my boy Demetrius Nichols, only to cut him 2 months later

but enough of all the negatives......

lets all just be HIV Positive for now on

:D

i was just a.ssuming Knicks do make a trade (since that has been the theme for us in the draft) where we ended up with a 2nd round pick or just traded for him if he's picked already...Nichols should have kept his mouth shut, wanted off the Knicks cuz he wanted playing time but most his playing time came from the D-League when the teams he kept bouncing around to kept putting him there

With a new president in place and a new coach on the way for the Knicks, The Post's Marc Berman a.ssesses the chances of each current Knick being sent packing this offseason.

Quentin Richardson: He's shot. Could be buyout case since you can't trade him because of uninsurable contract. 60 percent gone.

Eddy Curry: Shocking to see his low-post game evaporate. Donnie Walsh could clear major cap space with a trade, as Walsh wants his centers defense-oriented. 60 percent gone.

Zach Randolph: Spent the whole season hoisting contested perimeter jumpers and not getting back on defense. Walsh would give his left lung to deal him, but his contract is a k!ller. 30 percent gone.

Stephon Marbury: Walsh will explore signing a younger point guard for a two-year mid-level exception (Chris Duhon?) before he can talk buyout. Trade will be tough under parameters. Marbury is lone PG on roster, so could go either way. 55 percent gone.

Jamal Crawford: Isiah Thomas handed him the keys to the offense after Marbury went down and he crashed the car. Not a floor general and hasn't improved perimeter defense. But with a real PG to play off of, he's a keeper. 10 percent gone.

Nate Robinson: Not a starter in this league because he's too small to defend. Not a bad guy to come off the bench for 15 minutes next season. 40 percent gone.(I wish it was 99% gone)

David Lee: A building block. He got more confidence in his face-up jumper as season went along. Great rebounder and Sixth Man. 8 percent gone.

Renaldo Balkman: Sophomore jinx smacked him down, but too young and athletic to give up on. Lost all confidence in offensive game. 35 percent gone.

Jerome James: For a team that finished last in the league in shotblocking, Isiah should be ashamed for not using him when he got healthy. Walsh likes his shotblocking, but health could prompt buyout or medical retirement. 65 percent gone.

Fred Jones: A free agent who didn't distinguish himself as a so-called solid defender and won't be re-signed. Chances of leaving: 99 percent gone.

Wilson Chandler: Could start at small forward next season with his big finish that impressed Walsh. 4 percent gone.

1) Wilson Chandler (showed alot of promise towards the end of the season...dont think it was like mardy collins of last year, this kid looks legit...high percentage shooter who improved his dribble throughtout the season who can play some D....wuts not to like?)

2) Renaldo Balkman (his value is really low right now, he spent all season in Isiah's doghouse for wutever reason...i wouldnt want to sell low and then see him become the player that we all thought he could be with someone else...plus if lee is traded, wed still need that "Hustle Harder" mentality off the bench which he can provide)

3) Nate Robinson (sorry Palmer...but this kid has the heart to play in New York....hes the perfect spark off ANYONES bench...if this man was 6'6 hed be a top 5 talent in the league...he has all the tools, and paired with a defensive minded coach, i think nate can become a good defender with his strength asnd quickness

*everyone else on this squad can be had*

notice i did not mention my favorite knick David Lee....im comin to terms with the fact that it seems like a defenite possibility Lee will be traded to get rid of one of our contracts...which is perfectly understandable, but if it were up to me, of course Lee would be a keeper

Tom Thibodeau - We reported today that Thibodeau has already reached out to Walsh through an intermediary to express his interest in an interview. Walsh would have to seek permission to meet with Thibodeau, who will be quite busy as an a.ssociate head coach with the Boston Celtics, who are expected to go deep into the playoffs, perhaps as far as the Finals. The question here is will Walsh wait for Thibodeau? And will Thibodeau be willing to divert his focus from the Celtics' playoff run to take the time during off-days to interview for the Knicks' job? The Celtics would hate to lose him, but don't expect Doc Rivers to stand in his way.

1) Wilson Chandler (showed alot of promise towards the end of the season...dont think it was like mardy collins of last year, this kid looks legit...high percentage shooter who improved his dribble throughtout the season who can play some D....wuts not to like?)

2) Renaldo Balkman (his value is really low right now, he spent all season in Isiah's doghouse for wutever reason...i wouldnt want to sell low and then see him become the player that we all thought he could be with someone else...plus if lee is traded, wed still need that "Hustle Harder" mentality off the bench which he can provide)

3) Nate Robinson (sorry Palmer...but this kid has the heart to play in New York....hes the perfect spark off ANYONES bench...if this man was 6'6 hed be a top 5 talent in the league...he has all the tools, and paired with a defensive minded coach, i think nate can become a good defender with his strength asnd quickness

*everyone else on this squad can be had*

notice i did not mention my favorite knick David Lee....im comin to terms with the fact that it seems like a defenite possibility Lee will be traded to get rid of one of our contracts...which is perfectly understandable, but if it were up to me, of course Lee would be a keeper

Come on fam, dont be a fan, be a realist.
The point is he is not 6'6'', worst thing is for his height, like Eddy Curry, aint nobody worried about his Defense. He should be leading the league in steals. or being in the top ten. Clyde Frasier is rolling in his grave.

That's pathetic. Who gives a damn if he's a "spark" off the bench. When was Nate Robinson's name even mentioned in the same sentence for 6th man of the year? What Would Manu do? if Ganobilli was in Nyc he would be a starter. If Nate was on the Spurs he wouldn't even play. Because Nate is a flashy Marbury.

How much of a spark was he in a 23-59 record? When Marbury went down how did Nate make the Knicks better?

David Lee needs to retire a Knick or play atleast another 5 years in NYC. Period. the man just needs what Nate Aint, "A true point guard". I doubt Donnie is that desprite to give him up unless they get Kobe or Lebron.